TheBanyanTree: Changes

[Margaret R. Kramer]

It’s the first week after Labor Day and it seems kind of like New Year’s, it
’s a week to make changes, look at the routes our lives are taking, and make
some adjustments.

Of course, for a lot of people, the week after Labor Day represents “back to
school.”  Even though I’m not in school anymore, I still find myself buying
fall clothes, pencils and papers, and notebooks at this time of year.

My oldest grandson did start school this week.  He’s in first grade and has
been anxiously looking forward to school all summer.  I asked what he liked
on his first day and he said they had recess twice!  So I guess I know what’
s important to him!  He did tell his mother that he was disappointed that
they didn’t learn anything new the first day.  Obviously, he has high
expectations for this year.  He told me he was president.  I asked him if
that meant he was president of his class, but he said no, that he was to
help the teacher.  I guess leadership can’t start too young.

The younger grandson has one more year of freedom before he goes to
kindergarten next fall.  He’s so four years old right now.  He has no social
skills, cheats at games, makes up his own rules, and loves to play jokes on
people.  No, he’s not ready for school yet, but he will be in a year or so.

Our country is going through a major adjustment with Hurricane Katrina
closing one of our major ports and shutting down a major city.  We’ve
reached out to fellow Americans in ways that are unprecedented, even after
9/11.  Katrina exposed our government for what it is, a group of back
slapping cronies, and the American people are ultimately at fault, because
we elect them.  Our country’s treatment of the poor has also been exposed to
the world.  The bright light of a natural disaster was on us and we were
caught without our clothes on.

Our house is temporarily off the market.  Our real estate agent’s contract
ran out.  I checked into we buy ugly houses, but they couldn’t offer me what
I need for my house and they were honest about that.  We looked into help u
you sell and assist 2 sell, but if we decided to use their MLS level of
service, we might as well pay an agent a commission.  So, we’ll probably go
with an agent again, but it will be a male.  There are certain situations
where I respect a male’s opinion rather than a woman’s and I believe real
estate is one of them.  I need someone to say, “Do this,” instead of “Maybe
you should try that.”  Men tend to do that better than women.

I wanted to jump into this week full throttle, but I was slowed down by a
cold.  Did I catch my cold from the State Fair, from the Science Museum,
from the boys?  I don’t know, but it started out quietly and escalated into
a major deal.  I didn’t miss work, but I sure spread my germs around.  I
spent most of last evening wallowing in bed, feeling sorry for myself.  This
morning, other than being stuffed up, I feel back to normal again.

Today is going to be summer-like, hot and humid, a warm breeze whistling
through the yellowing leaves.  Since I did so little yesterday, I would like
to go for a run, cut the grass, buy some groceries, and then go “me”
shopping in that “start of school” tradition to buy shoes and some bras that
actually fit.  That’s one area of my life that definitely needs an
adjustment.

Margaret R. Kramer
margaretkramer at comcast.net

http://www.bpwmn.org
Business and Professional Women of Minnesota

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.  ~Mark Twain